BOONE, N.C. — Led by head coach Scott Satterfield, Appalachian State University football student-athletes, coaches and staff spent several hours on Friday preparing shoeboxes full of gifts to be shipped around the world as part of the Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child project.

Operation Christmas Child provides toys, school supplies, hygiene items and other gifts to less-fortunate children worldwide each holiday season. This year, Samaritan's Purse estimates that 750,000 shoeboxes will be delivered around the world as part of the project.

The Mountaineers helped the cause on Friday by inspecting and preparing shoeboxes for delivery at the Samaritan's Purse processing center in Boone.

"It's a privilege for us to come out here and volunteer our time," Satterfield said. "Hopefully, we can help give some joy to a young child that doesn't really get a lot of things and give them some hope for life."

"We are all so fortunate to live in a country where we're free to worship, work and do all of the things that we enjoy," assistant coach Mark Ivey said. "We're all so blessed, especially those of us involved with App State football. So to be able to come here and do some stuff like pack boxes for those that don't have as much means a lot to us and hopefully will mean a lot to them on the other end. It's a blessing for us to be able to help out."

"We're just trying to give back to the community and to those in need all over the world," freshman linebacker Osvaldo Sombo said. "It's an amazing feeling to give to kids that don't have the opportunities that we have. I'm out here with some of my teammates and coaches because it feels good to do what we can, knowing that any little bit goes a long way."

"It's hard to imagine how difficult it is to be in the shoes of some of the children that will receive these boxes," sophomore kicker Zach Matics said. "We're just here helping, trying to make this time of year special for them."

To learn more about Operation Christmas Child, including how to participate and volunteer, visit samaritanspurse.org.